Gadgets Gone Wild: Do I Really Need to LoJack My Dog?

Posted By
Patti Shea
On
October 13, 2011 @ 3:42 pm
In
Take Care |
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Blarney Dog by my friend Jay Premack. (http://wwww.jaypremack.com/)

After reading this entry from the Smithsonian’s Innvoations blog I feel way too analog when it comes to my dogs. I love my gadgets, don’t get me wrong, but never in a million years would I dream of having a LoJack on my critter.

Ask anyone who knows me, I love my two beagles. They roll their eyes and cringe when they hear a sentence that begins with “Blarney did the funniest thing today” or “Did I tell you the one time Otis …” Yeah, I’m one of those-don’t judge. (One of them has his own Facebook page but I won’t tell you which one it is. Seriously, don’t judge!)

Of course I don’t want anything to happen to my buddies but the thought of spending thousands on these instruments to track them? I caught myself thinking: Who is buying it? Should I? Do I love my dogs less if I don’t?

I rescued Blarney and Otis, so they’re already chipped. I pay the annual fee to keep their accounts up-to-date. Isn’t that enough? Apparently not.

To recap, there are dozens of gadgets, apps, what-have-you’s to monitor your pet’s activities. Did the dog walker come and how far did they go? There’s an app for that. Just whose rear end did your dog sniff? All together: There’s an app for that, too! The webcam bowl that lets you spy on your dog’s dish from afar to see if it’s empty? You’re getting the idea.

So, I put it to you friends: When is enough enough? Am I wrong? Should I do/spend what it takes to ensure their safety? I would never sacrifice my pets’ well-being. I just prefer to walk, feed and observe them in person. As someone who does social media for a living, being with the beagli is how I unplug. I kinda like it that way.